I bought a new Rancilio Silvia V3 last night and hope i have dont the right thing (after a fair bit of research) I know how to make coffee but i wouldn't say i even close to an expert! BUT love to spend time and learn about the grind etc. BUT now i see on your post that this little machine needs a bit of slapping into submission??ANY advise is welcome and appreciated on tips you can give me with this machine.

I also have a Krups burr grinder and now realised this is not going to be any good for my new machine.. CRAP!!I don't want to spend the earth and keep seeing on sites the Rancilio Rocky grinder is being paired with this machine but keep on seeing conflicting remarks,I didn't want to have to spend over $250 but maybe i have to?

Rocky has seen better days. Now, better grinders are available for the same money.Sadly for you, the grinder is more important than the machine. The rule of thumb is at that price for Sylvia, you need to think in the $400 + range to get the best out of her. That is if you want a motor. Hand powered grinders can be had for about the $100 mark. Some don't mind the time and work for espresso grinding from a hand grinder. If it is just you then you may be OK if you start making several drinks at the same time then a hand grinder tends to be a pain.

Please read our how to buy an espresso FAQ. I know you have a machine but it covers all the basics including the grinder.

Welcome to the board.

In real life, my name isWayne P.Anything I post is personal opinion and is only worth as much as anyone else's personal opinion. YMMV!

I've had the Rocky and Silvia combo for 9 years. I've upgraded all the components along the way so that my Silvia has all the V3 advantages, plus I have a PID with pre-infusion on it. I always thought it made a decent shot, but I could never get really rich thick crema. Well, my new Vario arrived today and I spent the afternoon pulling shots that I'd never been able to before. It's all about the grinder and the Vario or something else in that category will bring out the potential of your Silvia. Anything less and you have a lot of untapped potential in your espresso maker that you paid good money for.

As for pointers, the other thing you need to know how to do on a Silvia that doesn't have a PID is "temperature surf." Look it up and you will find a lot of advice.

I used Silvia for about 8 years, without ever doing the PID mod. So, yeah, it's doable. I second or third(or whatever number we're up to here) the grinder upgrade. I went through 3 with Silvia...1st a solis Maestro (sh!t), then a Rocky ( manageable, but I'd never recommend it), then a Macap M4 (great).

.Always remember the most important thing is what ends up in your cup!

Sorry, I should have made my grinder choice clearer, since there are brands and models with the same name.

I got the Baratza Vario. I went with the standard model, not the W, since I don't keep beans in the hopper and weigh the beans before they go in.

Of all the upgrades I made to the Silvia, this grinder is the biggest, bigger than PID for quality shots in most cases. I say most cases, because the PID makes this machine capable of doing single-origin, high-acid coffees that are really sensitive to temperature. For them, PID might be a bigger upgrade, but for general quality shots, the grinder makes all the difference.

You don't have to spend a whole lot of money. I have the Silvia V3 with a Baratza Virtuoso Preciso grinder. Works great together. The grinder has been perfect over the year. 1 broken part which was replaced under warranty and a new upgraded gearbox, also under warranty. The Preciso has received many rave reviews for consistency of grind.

Since you are starting out, my only other recommendation is you should have bought a package deal at places like Whole Latte Love. Many vendors have similar deals and it is less than just buying the Rancilio by itself and buying the other items later (if you can swing the cost now).

This would have gotten you most everything you could need to make espresso and cappuccino (except cups, but they sell those too!). Sometimes you can bargain from there or have a few extra items thrown in for same price.

Anyway, I have had mine over a year and love it. For my use level buying a more expensive espresso machine was not worth it.

I have the V3 for over a year and its a great machine. No PID but I temp surf each time. Took about 2 months to get good consistent results. Its a little annoying to surf but I thought if I was going to sink another $300 on a PID I would have just bought a $1000 machine. Therefore, temp surfing is necessary and not too hard. Just time consuming. Its all part of the process that is fun.

If you can get a Vario I'd recommend it. I have the Preciso and its garbage but my neighbor has the Vario and its a great grinder. The Preciso is $300 but you are going to have to keep some cheap spare parts around to repair the thing every 3 months. Add in how much espresso you are going to waste from the poor grind and over the life of the grinder you might as well step up to the Vario. I wish I did.

Grinder is very important so I'd recommend putting away some extra cash and delay your grinder purchase. Save up to get a good one. Stinks to have to wait but in the long run you will be happier.

How is telling someone how they should have done it better a recommendation, Dave? I don't get it. It's like pointing out their mistakes. Wouldn't it be better to tell them how they can make improvements? Ok, we'll to be fair you did recommend a Preciso, but that was less than half of the post.

.Always remember the most important thing is what ends up in your cup!

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